JP6142449B2 - Game media supply management system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention provides a game medium for managing a supply operation for replenishing a game medium such as a medal or pachinko ball used in a game machine to the game machine or a game medium lending machine such as a medal lending machine that lends a game medium. It relates to a supply management system.

  In a medal lending machine that rents medals used in gaming machines, for example, slot machines, medals of the number corresponding to the deposit amount are paid out from the built-in payout hopper through the payout exit and are paid out. Is counted by a sensor arranged in the vicinity of the payout opening. When the remaining amount of medals in the payout hopper falls below a certain level, the medals flowing along the medal supply rails arranged along the game island are captured and supplied to the payout hopper in the medal lending machine through the medal supply pipe. ing.

  In such a medal lending machine, due to fraud, the payout of medals from the payout hopper continues beyond the valid number of deposits, and the medals stored in the payout hopper and the payout hopper are replenished. A lot of medals may be paid out. A large amount of medals can be paid out in the slot machine as well. Therefore, conventionally, various countermeasures against fraud are taken.

  In the replenishment restriction device described in Patent Literature 1, the game media is not replenished only when the remaining amount of game media remaining in the game media lending machine decreases, and the cumulative value of game media that are lent based on a regular lending request Replenishment is performed only when the number of sheets exceeds a predetermined number. This suppresses an increase in damage caused by illegally paying out a large number of game media from the game media lending machine by automatically supplying game media to the game media lending machine.

JP 2010-5294 A

  In the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, the expansion of damage is suppressed by restricting the supply to the gaming medium lending machine in which the gaming medium is paid out and the remaining amount is reduced. However, in general, it is necessary for game media lending machines to always store a certain amount of game media in a built-in hopper so that regular lending based on the deposit amount is performed smoothly without interruption. . For example, in a medal lending machine that accepts 1000 yen banknotes and lends medals, assuming that the number of medals for 1000 yen, for example, 50 medals, is the minimum unit of one lending (payout) number, It is necessary to store more than twice as many medals in the hopper.

  For this reason, even if a fraud is detected and the supply of medals to the game media lending machine is stopped, a large amount of money is left from the game media lending machine until the store clerk at the game store arrives at the place where the fraudulent act was performed. Often, game media has been paid out. Therefore, the conventional countermeasures against fraud are insufficient to suppress the spread of damage due to fraud.

  In view of these points, an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of game media to be paid out due to fraudulent acts in gaming media lending machines such as medal lending machines or gaming machines such as slot machines. The object is to propose a game media supply management system capable of minimizing the spread of damage.

In the game medium replenishment management system of the present invention, a payout hopper is used in order to minimize the number of game media stored in a payout hopper for storing game media paid out from the game media lending machine or game machine. hold hopper to hold a game medium to be supplied is provided, for each dispensing operation of the game medium from the game media lending machine or a game machine, and manages the proper payout number of game media to be paid out from the payout hopper in gaming Each time the game medium is paid out from the medium lending machine or the gaming machine, the appropriate amount of game media is supplied from the holding hopper to the payout hopper.

  Here, in game stores, game media supply devices (automatic supply devices) for supplying game media to a large number of game media rental machines and game machines are generally installed. In this case, the game medium may be supplied from the game medium supply device to each holding hopper in which the remaining amount of the game medium has decreased.

  In addition, when the game medium is supplied from the holding hopper to the payout hopper built in each of the game medium lending machine and the game machine, either one of the common storage hoppers is supplied with the game medium supply destination. Switch to. In this way, the game medium supply route can be simplified.

  Furthermore, by monitoring the difference between the number of game media replenished from the holding hopper to the payout hopper and the game media payout amount calculated based on a sensor that counts the game media paid out from the payout hopper, Based on this difference, it is possible to detect that an illegal or abnormal payout has been made.

  If the replenishment management system of the present invention is adopted, it is possible to increase the game medium storage capacity of the holding hopper so as not to hinder the game medium payout operation from the payout hopper. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of stored payout hoppers built in the game medium rental machine or the game machine as much as possible. For this reason, even if all the game media in the payout hopper have been paid out, the amount of storage of the payout hopper is small, so that illegal acts are compared to the case where a large amount of game media is stored as before. Damage caused by can be reduced.

  Further, even when game media is paid out from the payout hopper due to fraud, only the appropriate number of game media is supplied from the holding hopper to the payout hopper. Therefore, the replenishment is not continuously performed unlike the conventional case where the game medium is replenished based on the replenishment request generated by detecting that the remaining amount of the payout hopper has decreased. For this reason, it is possible to prevent a large amount of game media from being paid out, and to reduce damage caused by fraud.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a medal supply management system to which the present invention is applied. 2 is a schematic flowchart showing a medal supply operation of the system of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the attachment place of the holding hopper. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example which incorporated the holding hopper in the medal rental machine.

  Embodiments of a game medium supply management system to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a supply management system for medals (game media) incorporated in a game system installed in a game store. The replenishment management system 1 includes a plurality of slot machines 2 (game machines) constituting each gaming island installed in a game store, and a plurality of inter-unit medals arranged adjacent to each slot machine 2 This is a system for managing the supply of gaming medals 4 to the lending machine 3 (game medium lending machine).

  The replenishment management system 1 includes an automatic medal replenishment device 5 attached to each game island. The automatic medal replenishment device 5 has the same configuration as that generally used, and the medal supply source 6 installed at the end of the amusement island and the slot machines 2 and the inter-medal on the amusement island. A medal supply rail 7 routed along the lending machine 3 and a medal supply bucket 8 attached to the supply rail 7 at predetermined intervals along the length direction of the supply rail 7 are provided. One medal supply bucket 8 is arranged for each of the slot machine 2 and the inter-unit medal lending machine 3 arranged adjacent to each other. It is sent to the medal lending machine 3 side.

  The replenishment management system 1 also includes a holding hopper 9 (a fraud prevention hopper) in which medals 4 are replenished from each medal replenishment bucket 8, and a replenishment destination switching unit 10 is attached to the holding hopper 9. Yes. The replenishment destination switching unit 10 is for switching the replenishment destination of the medal 4 held in the holding hopper 9 to one of the slot machine 2 and the inter-unit medal lending machine 3 arranged adjacently, for example, A switching flapper 10a is provided.

  The holding hopper 9 is provided with a remaining amount sensor 11 and outputs a replenishment request signal 11S (1) when the remaining amount of the medal 4 is less than a predetermined amount, and when the medal 4 is full, the full signal 11S (2) is output. A supply medal sensor 12 for counting the number of medals 4 to be paid out from the holding hopper 9 is arranged at the downstream end of the replenishment destination switching unit 10 in the medal replenishment direction. In addition, medal supply lines 13A and 13B that are bifurcated are connected to the downstream side. One medal supply line 13A is connected to a machine built-in payout hopper 14 built in the slot machine 2, and the other medal supply line 13B is a built-in lending machine payout hopper built in the medal lending machine 3. 15 is connected.

  The slot machine 2 has a generally known configuration, and includes a control unit 16 configured mainly with a computer. When a medal payout event occurs during play or the like, the control unit 16 calculates an appropriate payout number N1 of medals to be paid out, drives the machine built-in payout hopper 14, and performs a payout operation of the medal 4. Make it. The medals 4 paid out from the machine built-in payout hopper 14 are paid out of the machine from a medal payout opening 17 opened in the front of the machine. A payout medal sensor 18 is disposed in the vicinity of the medal payout opening 17. Based on this sensor signal, the control unit 16 counts the number of medals 4 to be paid out of the machine. When the count value reaches the appropriate payout number N1, the medal payout operation by the machine built-in payout hopper 14 is terminated. A remaining amount sensor 19 is attached to the machine built-in payout hopper 14, and a replenishment request signal is output to the control unit 16 when the remaining amount of the medal 4 becomes less than a predetermined amount.

  The medal lending machine 3 also has a generally known configuration, and includes a control unit 21, a bill validator 22, and the like that are mainly configured by a computer. When a banknote is inserted from the banknote insertion slot 23 arranged on the front surface of the lending machine, the banknote identification machine 22 identifies the banknote, and the control unit 21 determines the appropriate number N2 of medals 4 to be lent according to the deposit amount. Is calculated, and the lending machine built-in payout hopper 15 is driven and controlled to perform the medal 4 lending operation. The medal 4 paid out from the lending machine built-in payout hopper 15 is paid out to the outside of the lending machine from a medal payout opening 25 opened on the front surface of the lending machine. In the vicinity of the medal payout exit 25, a payout medal sensor 26 is arranged. Based on the output of the payout medal sensor 26, the control unit 21 counts the number of medals 4 to be paid out of the lending machine, and stops the lending machine built-in payout hopper 15 when the count value reaches the appropriate lending number N2. A remaining amount sensor 27 is attached to the lending machine built-in payout hopper 15, and a replenishment request signal is output to the control unit 21 when the remaining amount of the medal 4 becomes a predetermined amount or less.

  Next, the replenishment management system 1 is equipped with a control device that controls the medal replenishment operation. In this example, the hall computer 30 functions as a control device. As is well known, the hall computer 30 includes a slot machine 2 installed in a game store, an inter-unit medal rental machine 3, a game machine (not shown) installed in other game stores, a game media rental machine, and the like. Supervises monitoring and operation control. In the hall computer 30, a replenishment request signal indicating that it is necessary to replenish medals to the built-in payout hopper 14 from the control unit 16 of the slot machine 2, a medal payout request signal indicating the appropriate payout number N1 of medals to be paid out, and the like. Are supplied. Similarly, the control unit 21 of the inter-unit medal lending machine 3 supplies a replenishment request signal indicating that the lending machine built-in dispensing hopper 15 needs to replenish medals, and a medal lending request indicating the appropriate number N2 of medals to be lent. A signal such as a signal is supplied. Further, a supply request signal 11S (1), a full signal 11S (2), and an output signal 12S of the supply medal sensor 12 are supplied from the holding hopper 9.

  The hall computer 30 functions as a management unit for managing the appropriate payout number N1 and the appropriate loaned number N2 in the replenishment operation of the medals 4, and includes the medal supply bucket 8, the holding hopper 9, the supply destination switching unit 10 and the like. It functions as a replenishment control unit for driving control. The medal replenishment quantity from the holding hopper 9 to the machine built-in payout hopper 14 and the medal payout quantity from the machine built-in payout hopper 14 counted by the payout medal sensor 18 are monitored, and based on these differences, the medal 4 functions as a fraud monitoring unit that detects abnormalities such as fraudulent payouts. Similarly, the medal replenishment quantity from the holding hopper 9 to the lending machine built-in paying hopper 15 and the medal payout quantity (lending quantity) from the lending machine built-in paying hopper 15 counted by the payout medal sensor 26 are monitored. Based on these differences, it functions as a fraud monitoring unit that detects an abnormality such as an illegal payout of the medal 4.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart showing an example of a medal replenishment operation for the medal lending machine 3 by the replenishment management system 1. The hall computer 30 monitors the presence or absence of a medal lending request signal from the medal lending machine 3 (step ST1). In a normal medal lending operation, when a banknote is inserted from the banknote insertion slot 23, the medal 4 is lending according to the deposit amount from the lending machine built-in dispensing hopper 15. From the control unit 21, a medal lending request signal indicating an appropriate lending number N <b> 2 of medals 4 to be lent is supplied to the hall computer 30. In addition, the payout number N (25) of medals 4 paid out from the medal payout opening 25 is counted by the payout medal sensor 26 and supplied to the hall computer 30 via the control unit 21.

  When the hall computer 30 receives the medal lending request signal, the hall computer 30 recognizes an appropriate lending number N2 to be lent based on the signal, and issues a replenishment command to the drive unit 9a of the holding hopper 9 (step ST11). On the holding hopper 9 side, the supply destination switching unit 10 is switched to the supply line 13B on the medal lending machine side (step ST12), and the medal 4 is supplied (steps ST13 and ST14).

  The medal 4 paid out from the holding hopper 9 is supplied to the lending machine built-in paying hopper 15 of the medal lending machine 3 through the supply conduit 13B. The replenishment medal sensor 12 counts the replenishment number of medals 4 that are paid out from the holding hopper 9 and replenished to the medal lending machine 3 side. When this count reaches the appropriate loan number N2, the hall computer 30 ends the replenishment operation by the holding hopper 9 (step ST15).

  On the other hand, the hall computer 30 also monitors the presence / absence of a medal supply request from the holding hopper 9 (step ST2). When the remaining amount of medals in the holding hopper 9 falls below a preset quantity, this is detected by the remaining amount sensor 11 and a replenishment request signal 11S (1) for requesting replenishment of medals 4 is sent from the medal lending machine 3 to the hall. Supplied to the computer 30. Upon receiving the replenishment request signal 11S (1), the hall computer 30 issues a replenishment command to the drive unit 8a of the medal replenishment bucket 8 (step ST21). Thereby, the medal supply bucket 8 is driven, and the medal supply bucket 8 temporarily stops the flow of the medal 4 on the supply rail 7 and takes the medal 4 into the holding hopper 9 (step ST22). When it is detected by the full signal 11S (2) of the holding hopper 9 that the medal quantity of the holding hopper 9 exceeds the predetermined quantity, the hall computer 30 stops the driving of the medal supply bucket 8 and holds it. The medal supply operation to the hopper 9 is ended (steps ST23 and ST24).

  Here, the hall computer 30 counts the payout number N (25) of medals 4 paid out from the lending machine built-in payout hopper 15 of the medal lending machine 3 based on the payout medal sensor 26. When this payout is performed, the replenishment number of medals 4 replenished from the holding hopper 9 to the lending device built-in payout hopper 15 is compared with the payout number N (25). The replenishment number is the appropriate loan number N2 or the number counted by the replenishment medal sensor 12.

  If an irregularity occurs such as the dispensation medal sensor 26 installed at the medal payout outlet 25 of the medal lending machine 3 being disabled and the hopper motor being kept rotating, Counting cannot be performed properly, and in actuality, the payout of medals 4 may continue even though the required number of payouts has been made. In this case, the payout number as the sensor count value is smaller than the replenishment number, and the difference is increased. Based on this, the hall computer 30 can detect that an abnormality such as an illegal act has occurred in the medal lending machine 3, and can issue an alarm or the like.

  In this example, even if all the medals 4 are paid out from the lending machine built-in payout hopper 15 due to fraud, the hopper 15 can be made the smallest stored medal quantity as small as possible. Damage caused by fraud can be minimized. Even when the lending machine built-in payout hopper 15 has a small capacity, every time a medal lending request is generated, the replenishment of medals for the appropriate loan number N2 to be properly lent is incorporated from the holding hopper 9 into the lending machine. Since it is performed on the payout hopper 15, it does not hinder the medal 4 lending operation.

  The medal 4 replenishment operation for the machine built-in payout hopper 14 on the slot machine 2 side is performed in the same manner as the medal replenishment operation for the lending machine built-in payout hopper 15 of the medal lending machine 3.

  Next, in the above example, the medal 4 is replenished from the common holding hopper 9 to the slot machine 2 and the inter-unit medal lending machine 3 arranged adjacent to each other. If comprised in this way, a replenishment path | route can be comprised simply and it is advantageous at points, such as installation space and expense. However, it is also possible to use a replenishment route in which holding hoppers are connected one-on-one to each paying hopper.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in the prior art, gaming islands are configured such that gaming machines 41a and gaming medium lending machines 42a and gaming machines 51a and gaming medium lending machines 52a are arranged in two rows in a back-to-back state. It may be. In this case, the medal replenishment rail 60 of the game medium automatic replenishing device is passed through the upper position between them. From here, the medal replenishment buckets 41b, 42b, 51b, 52b and the bellows-shaped medal replenishment conduit 41c, respectively. , 42c, 51c, 52c, the gaming machine payout hoppers 41e, 42e, 51e, 52e from the medal supply chutes 41d, 42d, 51d, 52d of the gaming machines 41a, 51a and the game medium lending machines 42a, 52a. The medal is replenished. In the case of this configuration, for example, the same function as the holding hopper 9 described above is applied to a portion A between each medal supply bucket 41b, 42b, 51b, 52b and the medal supply chute 41d, 42d, 51d, 52d. Each holding hopper may be arranged.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, a holding hopper can be built in a gaming machine or a gaming media rental machine. In the example shown in the figure, a holding hopper 9A is arranged together with a payout hopper 25A inside the medal lending machine 3A. The holding hopper 9A is replenished with medals from an automatic medal replenishment device similar to that shown in FIG. 1 via a bellows-shaped medal replenishment line 41C and a medal replenishment chute 41D.

  Next, in the above example, an automatic medal replenishment device is provided, and from here, each reserving hopper 9 is automatically replenished with medals. If there is no automatic medal replenishment device, the worker may replenish the medal 4 to each holding hopper 9.

  In the above example, the medal 4 is used as a game medium, the medal lending machine 3 is used as a game medium lending machine, and the slot machine 2 is used as a game machine. However, other game media, game medium lending machines, and game machines are used. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to the above case.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Supply management system 2 Slot machine 3 Medal lending machine 4 Medal 5 Automatic medal supply device 6 Medals supply source 7 Medals supply rail 8 Medals supply bucket 8a Drive unit 9, 9A Holding hopper 9a Drive unit 10 Supply destination switching unit 10a Flapper 11 Remaining amount sensor 12 Replenishment medal sensor 13A, 13B Medal replenishment pipeline 14 Machine built-in payout hopper 15 Lending machine built-in payout hopper 16 Control unit 17 Medal payout port 18 Payout medal sensor 19 Remaining amount sensor 21 Control unit 22 Bill discriminator 23 Bill insertion slot 25 Medal payout outlet 26 Payout medal sensor 27 Remaining amount sensor 30 Hall computer N1 Proper payout number N2 Proper loan number

Claims (5)

A game medium replenishment management system for replenishing game media to a payout hopper for storing game media to be dispensed out of the machine from a game media rental machine or game machine,
A holding hopper for holding a game medium to be supplied to the payout hopper;
A management unit for managing an appropriate amount of game media to be paid out from the payout hopper for each game media payout operation from the game media rental machine or the game machine ;
A replenishment control unit for performing a replenishment operation of game media corresponding to the appropriate payout amount from the holding hopper to the payout hopper for each remuneration operation of the game medium from the gaming medium lending machine or the gaming machine ;
A game media supply management system characterized by comprising: In claim 1,
The payout amount based on the supply amount of game media supplied from the holding hopper to the payout hopper and the payout amount of game media counted based on the output of a sensor for detecting the game media paid out from the payout hopper A game medium replenishment management system comprising a fraud monitoring unit that monitors fraudulent payout of game media from a commercial hopper. In claim 1 or 2,
The payout hopper is a lending machine built-in payout hopper built into the gaming medium lending machine and a gaming machine built-in payout hopper built into the gaming machine,
The holding hopper includes a replenishment destination switching unit that switches a replenishment destination of the game medium to one of the lending built-in payout hopper and the gaming machine built-in payout hopper,
The game medium supply management system, wherein the supply control unit performs switching control of the supply destination switching unit. In claim 1 or 2,
The payout hopper is a lending machine built-in payout hopper built into the gaming medium lending machine and a gaming machine built-in payout hopper built into the gaming machine,
The holding hopper includes a lending machine built-in holding hopper built in the gaming medium lending machine that replenishes the lending machine built-in dispensing hopper, and a gaming machine built-in dispensing hopper. A game medium replenishment management system comprising a gaming machine built-in holding hopper built in the gaming machine. In any one of claims 1 to 4,
A game medium replenishment management system comprising a game medium replenishment device that replenishes a game medium to the hold hopper when the remaining amount of the game medium stored in the hold hopper becomes a predetermined amount or less. system.

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